Learn Texas Hold Em- Lesson Two

The blinds and the dealer button

You should also have noticed there is a small button with a ‘D’ or ‘Dealer’ written on it moving around the table. This is known as the Dealer button. You may also have noticed that the two players to the left of this button also automatically place an initial bet, these are known as the blinds.

The player to the immediate left of the dealer must place a compulsory bet of half the initial bet, this is known as the small blind.

The player to the left of the small blind must place a compulsory bet of the full initial stake, this is known as the big blind. No one else on the table is required to place any bets at all and may fold at any time.

At this point, the person to the immediate left of the big blind will need to make one of three choices- Call, Raise or Fold. If they are happy with their hole cards, and wish to see the flop, they will call the initial bet. This means they must match the amount of money the person sitting in the big blind position has bet. If they think their hole cards are better than most if not all of the other people’s hole cards then they will/should raise the pot, this involves putting in twice the initial stake on a fixed limit table.

Lastly, and indeed the most common course of action, if the player decides their hole cards are not likely to win the pot they will fold. If you are using one of the starting hands tables and do not see your hole card in them, then fold! This betting pattern will continue until everyone who intends to play the hand has matched the highest bet (although someone may have raised that does not mean another player cannot re-raise). Once you have watched enough hands and understand the above then you are ready to join the table.